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“I want nothing to do with you, Walter.You or my father.”

He concentrated on her voice.It was strained, but not afraid.Katie must have dialed his cell and set the phone down.Pushing the mute button, he got on his radio.“Betty, call Jed and get him over to Miss Mazie’s house.”

“Yes, Sheriff.”

“You’re coming back to New York City,” the male voice said.

Fear gripped him so hard he couldn’t breathe.Was he going to lose her again?

“Like hell I am.”

Ry grinned.The pressure in his chest lessened.Good, Katie wasn’t going to take any of this man’s crap.

“What the hell is going on in here?”

Jed.Ry frowned.How had Jed gotten there so quickly?It had been maybe a minute or two since he told Betty to call him.

“Jed.”The relief in Katie’s voice was heartwarming to Ry.The tension in his spine eased.

“This has nothing to do with you,” Walter said.

“Get out, Walter, and don’t come back.”

“Oh, I’ll be back.”

There was quiet for a minute or two.Then a door slammed.

“Okay, Kitty Kat?”Jed asked.

Ry pulled up to the house just as a white Mercedes pulled away from the house.Walter, he hoped.He quickly noted the license plate, called in to Betty that he was on scene, and then jogged up the walk.

Everything looked all right inside Miss Mazie’s house.Nothing seemed out of place, so there was no fight or anything like that.Katie was standing quietly in Jed’s arms.

“Okay?”Ry asked.

Katie’s head lifted, and she held a hand out to him.

Ry took the offered hand, and they pulled him into their embrace.His heart stuttered before resuming its normal beat.She’d called him.She trusted him to help her, but he did wonder how she got also got a hold of Jed so fast.His arms tightened around her.As soon as they had everything sorted out, he’d follow up to make sure Walter had left town.But for right now, there was no place he’d rather be than here with his lovers, holding them.

How long they stood there, he didn’t know and didn’t care.This was for Katie, for Jed, and for himself.

When they broke apart, Ry saw her cell on the side table.He picked it up and ended the call.“What happened?”

“I think we better sit down.This might take some time.”Katie blew out a breath.

Ry called in and let them know that everything was good, and he was going to take a very early lunch.

“Please, sit on the sofa,” Katie said, heading for the nearby chair.

“With us,” Jed said, taking her hand and guiding her to the sofa between them.“Thank you for calling me.”

So that’s how Jed had gotten here so quickly.

“And me.”Ry took her left hand and squeezed.

“I was a little short with you, Jed.”

Jed chuckled.“Short but I liked hearing the words ‘Need you, now’ from those lips.”He glanced up at Ry.“How did she call you?”